Sport

Old Boys ready to blood new players

SWINDON College Old Boys will be using their remaining fixtures to look to next season, starting this weekend against Aylesbury.

With the Pipers Way side sitting rock bottom of Southern Counties North without a win to their name following promotion last season, second-team players James Hackett and Dan Toon will be given a chance in the first XV having impressed in their game last weekend.

Old Boys chairman Martin Peaple has already accepted his side will be back in the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier next season and believes giving some new players a shot is the way to go.

“They’ve been consistent second team players, but with the way we’re set up it’s always important to be able to bring players up,” he said.

“They’ve definitely earned it, but it’s also a necessity in that we have a finite number of players to call on.

“We need to be bringing these players on and getting them experience at this level.

“We need to look to next season as honestly we’re playing for pride at the moment.”

Old Boys are looking to boost their numbers as their set-up means they struggle for consistency in selection.

“We’ll be looking for players in the back positions,” he said. “Although the players we have in those positions are quality and at that level we need it’s a case of quantity.

“There’s a number of clubs in the area, Swindon, Bassett and even Minety, we’re all vying for those type of players.”

Peaple hopes that Old Boys’ informal set-up will attract new players.

“We offer something different,” he said. “They’re more train and play and we’re less like that.

“Our main recruitment is from going out and meeting people in the town and getting people who are interest but maybe haven’t played in a while back into rugby.”

Old Boys have only played in fits and starts since the new year, both in terms of the weather and on the pitch. Aylesbury are currently third in the Southern Counties North and Peaple is looking for his side to compete in a similar fashion to their games against the Buckinghamshire side’s top-table rivals Milton Keynes and Thatcham.

“In those games we pushed hard and came close to getting a result,” he said.